Portuguese Honorific Orders

Portugal is one of the nations with the oldest tradition of awarding honorific distinctions. Portuguese honorific orders originated at the dawn of the nation itself The oldest honorific order, the Military Order of Avis, has its origins in the ancient Order of St Benedict of Aviz While its creation is shrouded in legend, there is no doubtthatit was established during the reign of Afonso Henriques, the country's first monarch. Over the centuries, the orders have formed part of the country's history, emerging with a religious and military character, evolving in line with the political and social context, and becoming secularised Today, they are part of the Portuguese State's award system with the role of Grand Master being assigned to the President of the Republic.

The Portuguese Honorific Orders, which are grouped into Ancient Military' Orders, National Orders and Orders of Civil Merit, celebrate and distinguish citizens who stand out for their personal merits, civic or military achievements, for services rendered to the community, or for the promotion of universal values, reflecting the recognition of the Portuguese State.

This stamp issue marks the latest update to the structure of the Portuguese Hononfic Orders, through Decree-Law No. 55/2021 of 29 June, which integrated the Order of Camöes into the framework of the Honorific Orders, within the scope of the National Orders, as well as the creation of the Grand Collar of the Military Order of Christ and the Grand Collar of the Military Orcler of Avis.

These decorations represent the continuation of a tradition of national honour that is updated over time, without losing its connection to the past More than symbolic pieces, they are living testimonies to the values that define Portugal reflecting a vision of valuing merit, freedom, culture and national identity in the context of the 21st century.

Order of Camöes

The Order of Camöes aims to distinguish those who provide relevant services for the dissemination of the Portuguese language and the deepening of cultural relations between the peoples who share it, as well as for strengthening the ties of Portuguese communities with Portugal, promoting the projection of the Portuguese language and culture on a universal scale.

Its integration into the framework of honorary orders has enabled the recognition of individuals and institutions that have distinguished themselves in the dissemination of the Portuguese language and culture, as well as within Portuguese communities spread across seven continents, thus enhancing the role of the diaspora and the language as factors of unity and global influence.

In the symbolism of the insignia of the Order of Camöes, in addition to the effigy of the poet and, in the Grand Collar, an open book and a quill representing The Lusiads, elements refer to the universe of the Discoveries, such as the Rudder or Steering Wheel with eight spokes, identical to the number of the founding states of the CPLP and Timor-Leste, the unifying axis of Portuguese-speaking communities The two colours of the ribbons also have their own symbolism: yellow represents light, knowledge and teaming, while navy blue represents the seas that connect the Portuguese communities and, in particular, the nations that have Portuguese as their official language.

The Grand Collars of the Military Order of Christ and the Military Order of Avis

The Grand Collar, the highest rank within the organisational structure of each Order, is intended to honour Heads of State and may also be awarded, by decree of the President of the Republic, to former Heads of State and to individuals whose achievements, of an extraordinary nature and of special relevance to Portugal, make them worthy of this distinction.

The creation of the Grand Collar rank in the Military Orders of Christ and Avis standardised the number of ranks in all the Ancient Military Orders, thus giving internal coherence to their organisational structure. The insignia of the grand collars incorporate the emblem of the respective Order In the Military Order of Christ, a Latin cross, pattée, in red enamel, bordered in gold, charged with a smaller Latin cross in white enamel, surmounted by two holm oak branches, an element of the coat of arms of Prince Henrique the Navigator. In the Military Order of Avis, a green enamel cross, fleury, bordered in gold, green being the colour of the Order, surmounted by two hawthorn branches, an element of the coat of arms of Joäo, Master of Avis, who would later become King Joäo I and found the Avis Dynasty.

The conception and design of the insignia of the Order of Camöes and the two Grand Collars are the work of Paulo Estrela, a specialist in Phaleristics, whose research ensured the fidelity of the visual symbolism of each piece.

Ana Cristina Baptista